Formula 1 standings track a driver and team’s performance over the course of a season. They highlight the race results that drive the world’s fastest cars and showcase the raw talent and strategic acumen of these motorsport professionals. But the F1 standings system is complex, with specific specifications influencing where drivers and teams sit on each season’s leaderboard.

Driver standings are calculated based on points awarded for each driver’s finishing position at each Grand Prix (25 for the winner). Teams also receive Constructors’ points, which combine the performances of both team drivers to determine the overall tally. It is the team with the highest combined total by season’s end that is declared the champion of the Constructors’ Championship.

The current F1 scoring system was introduced in 1991. It expanded the number of points for a podium finisher and added points to the top 10. The gap between first and second has been increased from seven to eight points, while third place now receives five points rather than four. This was done in order to give teams with more reliable cars better opportunities to score high classifications in a season that now often spans 20 races.

The points system also helps cement and fuel dominant teams – as proven by Ferrari in the 2000s, Red Bull during Vettel’s commanding years, and Mercedes recently. The fact is that a dominant team is usually the one with the best car, so it stands to reason that their driver will win the Drivers’ Championship. But it doesn’t always play out that way – and that’s the beauty of Formula 1.